The exhibition commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of woman artist Bronka Gyurova. She belonged to the generation of Bulgarian portrait and landscape artists who were most prolific during the 1930’s and the 1940’s. For various reasons she became detached from her home country, yet she is indisputably a part of the history of Bulgarian art.

The exhibition features paintings and drawings belonging to various periods of Bronka Gyurova’s career as an artist, as well as works, such as paintings, drawings and sculptures by fellow artists, namely Alexander Zhendov, Boris Angeloushev, Kiril Tsonev, Stoyan Sotirov, Rada Poptosheva, Mara Tsontcheva, Vera Nedkova, Vera Loukova, Mara Georgieva, Vaska Emanouilova, Bencho Obreshkov, Donka Konstantinova, Stoyan Venev. Each of the artists belonging to that circle had a role to play in the development of Bulgarian art. They all shared a desire for innovation and experimentation in artistic expression, as well as willingness to measure up to the contemporary European art scene.

The choice of works by artists belonging to Bronka Gyurova’s “circle” is based on the artist’s original autobiography and diary, kindly provided by Mrs. Deyana Alsheh, as well as on the curators’ research of the tendencies and trends in Bulgarian art during the 1930’s and the 1940’s.

The works featured in the exhibition belong to the Sofia City Art Gallery, the National Art Gallery, the “Svetlin Rousev” Atelier Collection, private collections, as well as to the family of Bronka Gyurova and Elieser Alsheh in Buenos Aires. A substantial part of the works featured in the exhibition will be on display for the first time in Bulgaria.

The exhibition also features plenty of documentary material, namely photos, letters, catalogues, archive material. Bronka Gyurova’s unpublished manuscripts are exceptionally valuable, as they provide yet another glimpse of the Bulgarian artist’s life and work.

Bronka Gyurova was born on January 1, 1910 in the town of Shoumen. Over the period 1928 - 1932 she studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia in Prof. Dimitur Gyudzhenov’s painting class. In 1937 she specialized in “Illustration” with Prof. Minne in Brussels, Belgium. She organized her first solo exhibition in 1943 in Sofia. Over the period 1933 – 1949 she participated in all general exhibitions held in Sofia, Bulgaria, as well as in group exhibitions held in Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia. She was a member of the “Association of Women Artists” /1932/, the “Association of Independent Artists” /1935 /, the “’Contemporary Art’ Association” /1936/ and the “Association of New Artists” /1938/. In 1952 she settled in Buenos Aires, Argentina, together with her husband, Elieser Alsheh, and her daughter, Deyana. She died on June 5, 1995 in Buenos Aires.

THE COLLECTION. NEW ACQUISITIONS 2008-2009

19 January 2010 - 21 March 2010

The Sofia City Art Gallery presents the latest acquisitions to its collection in the departments of painting, graphic arts, sculpture and contemporary art. The said works have been acquired over the past two years through purchase or donation.

Thanks to the financial support provided by the Sofia City Municipal Authorities the gallery made its first purchases of works of art in 2007, following a fifteen-year hiatus. Ever since then new worksbelonging to various genres have been added to the museum’s collection following a process of careful selection. Donations made by artists and heirs have also been an important source of adding new work to the collection.

The highlights of this exhibition are the two bronze figures by the sculptor Kiril Shivarov (1887-1938), entitled „A Praying woman” and „Cain”. Having completed his studies in Prague and Vienna, he was among the most interesting early twentieth century Bulgarian artists. A work by another world famous Bulgarian sculptor, Assen Paikov (1908-1973), is also featured in the collection and this is his masterpiece “Christ” (circa 1936). Other significant new additions to the collection include two plaster models by Galin Malakchiev, free standing sculptures by Boyan Raynov, the portrait of writer Emilian Stanev by Velichko Minekov, the compositions by Snezhana Simeonova and Raya Georgieva.

New additions to the department of painting include three paintings by the great Bulgarian woman painter Slavka Deneva, Svetlin Russev’s emblematic work “Pieta”, as well as works by Atanas Patsev, Dimitur Arnaoudov, Peter Dochev, Edmond Demirdjian, Andrey Daniel, Gredi Assa, Kolio Karamfilov, Dinko Stoev. Classic examples of modern Bulgarian painting are the works of Konstantin Tringov and Nikola Boyadzhiev. The City Art Gallery remains true to its policy of supporting the youngest generations of painting artists, including Mihaela Vlasseva, Violeta Tanova, Ivan Kostolov and Deyan Yanev. New additions to the graphic arts department include works by Roumen Skorchev, Anastasiya Panayotova and Yavora Petrova.

New additions to the contemporary art department include works by Vasil Simitchiev, Luchezar Boyadjiev, Kalin Serapionov, Krassimir Terziev, Mariela Gemisheva, Sasho Stoitsov, Vikenti Komitski, Pravdoliub Ivanov, Krasimir Krustev – Rassim, Ivan Moudov.